There are three parts to a hurricane. The anticipation, the hurricane itself and the aftermath. Each is disturbing in and of itself.

It will take time to remedy the ravishes of Irene.

I recall several years ago after a major hurricane hit Key West. Its name escapes me. I escaped the hurricane. I returned up north before it hit.

Yankee Jack stayed.

After the storm passed, I telephoned Yankee to see how he was. It took four days for him to get back to me. The telephone lines had been down. No power to charge cell phones.

What can I do to help, I asked. He said we need water and electric power.

Yankee lived in a large van at the time. The hurricane took the van. He was talking to me from his girl friend’s apartment. He said there was no electic power and no running water. It was hot as hell!

He and his girl friend had thrown a sheet over the couch. They were sitting naked on it. They were rubbing each other from the one bag of ice cubes provided that day from the back of a federal truck. Their water consisted of one gallon each per day. To drink, flush toilets and any other needed use.

The aftermath of a hurricane.

Yesterday was a good Sunday! A busy one for me.

I started with breakfast at the Waffle House. First time to the Waffle House. It sits in a motel to the left of US 1 as you enter Key West.

Aida wrote to me on Facebook yesterday. I met her several months ago. The only time I was ever in her company. Asked her to read my blog. This blog. Her Facebook message was that she had just found the blog. Some people can be slow.

I recalled that she worked at the Waffle House. So off I went for breakfast.

Aida I saw. We were happy to see each other. We will probably will do dinner some night this week. But, that is not the important part of the story.

It is the Waffle House! Was I impressed!

The place was jam packed. Not a seat to be had. And small it is not. Aida told me it is that way all day and even at dinner time.

I could understand why. The menu was cheap. I had two eggs, sausage, hash browns, wheat toast, coffee and a huge waffle for $6.99!

I stopped at Walgreen’s to pick up some prescription pills. They were not ready. So I went next door to the Home Depot to walk. Did a half hour. Then returned to Walgreen’s.

The three presecription pills cost me $199. Wow! I am into the donut of my drug coverage. How do people do it? With some, it has to be a choice of medicine or food. An absolute disgrace!

Then to Lisa’s.

Robert has been reading one of the Harry Potter books. It has to be 700 pages long. He is only seven. He reads one page per day. Even takes the book to school. The teacher permits him to read the one page to the class.

I asked Robert to read to me from Harry Potter. He looked me in the eye and said, “I’m not reading today.”

I can’t win.

Lisa and Ally were on the floor playing Scrabble.

It was Publix next. I was out of food again.

The worst time to shop at Publix is Sunday afternoon. Everyone shops Sunday afternoon!

The only thing that makes Sunday grocery shopping a pleasurable event is that I run into many friends. And occasionally make a new one.

Last night was dinner at the bar at La Trattoria with the lovely Jean Thornton. Great company!

We drank and talked a while before eating. Afterwards, we headed over to Vino’s. It was a bottle of water for Jean and a diet Pepsi for me.

Vino’s is beautiful! Earthy and tropical at the same time. Elegant, also. And the absolutely best bathroom in Key West! It is worth the visit to Vino’s just to see and, if needed, use the bathroom.